Federers Movement

[Puma]

I have a ton of DVDs I have recorded of Federer. From time to time I watch points play out in frame by frame speed. This is very interesting to watch. One thing I have noticed that he does more consistenty than "anyone" else is how well he times his "split step, or squat move" with his opponents racket. Allmost always when his opponents racket is approaching impact he will be coming back to the ground from his bouncy floating steps. Which ever way the ball goes he steps out toward it.

Compared to his opponents he is much more efficient in this process. Couple this with how well he recovers and he appears to never be rushed unless there is a large change in direction on the ball. Watching his opponents it is way easy to see how much better he does this time after time after time after time.

I believe what is described above is a HUGE element to his success. All the big boys can hit it well, but the difference in their shot value is just the same as ours. Once rushed our shot selection (options) and execution goes way down.

I realize that he hits it well on the run and does a lot of other things well. But, this particular thing cannot be seen at regular speed nor can it be seen in slow speed. Really, the only way to see it is to compare it to who ever he is playing. At that time it becomes really apparent.

Thought I would pass this along, what do you guys think????

 

[Marius_Hancu]

this has been of course discussed:

Federer's footwork: why is it superior?
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=46267&highlight=Federer+split-step

 

[urban]

Exact. The key factor is the movement between strokes, the covering of the court, the anticipation. He looks always balanced and on the right spot with much time to execute his strokes. Compare that to Roddick, who even against Johansson looked often completely stranded on one side of the court. That was also the big weapon of Rosewall in an earlier period. Stan Smith noted a few days ago, that only in his loss to Nadal at Paris Federer looked rushed and overhit his shots. Maybe his footwork works better on grass than on grit, where you slide more into strokes.